Jerry Sandusky on 'Rock Center': 'I shouldn't have showered with those kids'

Jerry Sandusky, the man accused of various acts of sexual abuse with young boys while working at Penn State (an institution which has
since fired its president
Graham Spanier and football coach
Joe Paterno for their possible knowledge and inaction), appeared on "Rock Center with Brian Williams" Monday night (Nov. 14) via a phone interview with
Bob Costas. Sandusky's attorney
Joseph Amendola was present in the studio for the interview.

When asked by Costas what his initial statement is, Sandusky says, "I say that I am innocent of those charges."

Costas presses Sandusky by stressing the word "innocent" and Sandusky says, "Well, I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids, I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them. I have touched their leg without intent of sexual contact. So if you look at it that way, there are things that would be accurate."

When Costas asks if he is denying any inappropriate sexual contact with the underage boys, Sandusky says, "Yes, I am." He then goes on to say that the claims by at-the-time graduate assistant
Mike McQueary that he saw Sandusky raping a 10-year-old boy are false.

Why would McQueary lie? "You'd have to ask him that."

Costas asks Sandusky what did occur with the aforementioned 10-year-old boy. Sandusky says, "We were showering and horsing around and he actually turned all the showers on and was sliding across the floor. As I recall, we were snapping a towel and horseplay."

Sandusky's attorney Amendola claims of their case, "We expect we're going to have a number of kids ... at least several of those kids come forward and say this never happened ... In fact, one of the toughest allegations, what McQueary said he saw. We have information that that child says that never happened. Now a grown up."

Costas asks Sandusky how he feels about the situation that has been unfolding at Penn State. Sandusky replies:

"How would you think that I would feel about a university that I attended, about people that I worked with, about people that I care so much about? How do you think I would feel about it? I feel horrible about it ... I don't think it's my fault. I've obviously played a part in this ... In retrospect, I shouldn't have showered with those kids. That's what hits me the most."

Costas then straight-out asks Sandusky if he is sexually attracted to underage boys. Sandusky says, "Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted? I enjoy young people, I love to be around them. Um, I, I -- but no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."